


Comfort By The Cup

by electricteatime



Series: Project Prompt Fill (DGHDA Edition) [4]
Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M, Prompt Fill, Sleepy Boys, more tea exposition than is entirely necessary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-07 02:19:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15898920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/electricteatime/pseuds/electricteatime
Summary: The scene is set, and by all means it’s a perfect setup for drifting off to sleep and not waking until morning threatens to turn to afternoon.But, try as he might, Dirk can’t sleep.Prompt fill for: Brotzly, 9. A perfectly brewed cup of tea (from sensory prompts)





	Comfort By The Cup

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by dont-offend-the-bees: Brotzly, 9. A perfectly brewed cup of tea.
> 
> Thanks for the prompt dear, hope this is to your liking!

****

The room is dark, save for the low light of the street lamps filtering in behind the curtains. Quiet, if he tries he can hear the sound of distant traffic, but it doesn’t take much to ignore it. The bedsheets are soft, a comforting weight surrounding him, enough to keep him warm but not overheating. 3am, the clock on the side table says, bright red numbers announcing the early hour to the room around it. Beside him in the bed, Todd sleeps soundly, something it relieves him to see given how often he’s prone to bad nights. The scene is set, and by all means it’s a perfect setup for drifting off to sleep and not waking until morning threatens to turn to afternoon. 

 

But, try as he might, Dirk can’t sleep. 

 

He tries his best to keep still, not wanting to wake Todd with his tossing and turning, but it’s difficult not to fidget with the restlessness that courses through him. It’s not even that he’s not tired, if anything he’s  _ exhausted _ , but the last few weeks have been difficult, and the fear and paranoia that sometimes likes to play on his mind is lingering just at the edges like it might pounce as soon as he’s let his defenses down. For a while he simply lays there, staring at the ceiling, but by the time the clock reads 3.17 am he’s accepted his fate. 

 

Dirk sighs softly, pulling himself out of bed as carefully as he can, keeping quiet. Todd shifts when he sets the covers back down, and he lingers for a moment to watch him. It’s a rare sight to see him so peaceful, even if he is doing better these days he’s far from out of the woods yet. They all are. Whenever he catches a glimpse of it he takes a moment to hope for a day when the sight is no longer a surprise to him, but hopefully still makes him feel just as warm as it does now. 

 

His journey through to the kitchen is just as careful, filling the kettle and setting it to boil, hoping it doesn’t make too much noise, as he sets about making himself some tea. It’s what he’ll turn to in just about every situation, but on nights he needs the comfort more he likes to take his time. 

 

It would be remiss of him, he thinks, to drink breakfast tea at this hour, but he reaches for it anyway. It’s his favourite, and he has no intention of trying to sleep tonight so he’ll probably end up drinking plenty throughout the day as well just to get him through. It’s rare that he takes the time to do more than throw a teabag in a cup, but sometimes, when he  _ has _ the time, it’s nice to do it properly. 

 

Todd has teased him to hell and back about the teapot, just as much as Dirk has teased  _ him _ about the way he’ll talk to the coffee machine in the morning as if he can bribe or threaten it into giving him what he wants. He takes it down all the same, because if he’s doing this now he’s doing it  _ properly _ , spooning out the loose-leaf with hands that shake ever so slightly with the lack of rest, topping it off with water once the kettle has boiled. 

 

Then he waits. 

 

This is the worst part, knowing it’s so close to being ready but still so far out of reach. He could pour it now, but what good would that do? Weak and pale is not what he’s looking for, so he leans against the counter begrudgingly, waiting out the painful minutes on the promise that it will be worth it. He wishes he’d had the foresight to bring his phone with him, but there’s nothing to be done about it now, timing it by the clock on the microwave and tapping impatient fingers against the countertop until it finally tips over the acceptable brewing time. 

 

His favourite mug, big enough to cup comfortably in both hands but not so much so that his tea gets cold before he finishes it, sits waiting on the counter. He’s had it for years now, left behind by the previous tenants in his first flat and adopted out of necessity. It’s a small miracle it hasn’t be lost, or broken, or otherwise destroyed. He’s quite sure when the time comes that he’ll never find another like it. He splashes some milk in first, because he’s making it from the pot and it tastes better if customs have been observed (or so he tells himself), setting the strainer over the mug before pouring. 

 

No matter how many times he manages it, there’s always something incredibly satisfying about seeing the perfect golden shade as it pours, and knowing he’s brewed it perfectly without looking. It’s another thing Todd would mock him for, he thinks, along with the four sugars he stirs in. The sweetness might not be welcomed by most, but he finds it comforting, and since that’s what he’s looking for right now he leaves the mess to be tidied away later and instead makes his way through to the living room where he curls up on the couch, legs tucked underneath him and eyes closed as he takes the first sip.

 

It’s hot, not scalding though he’s burned his tongue many a time this way, but a heat that makes it good for sipping and forces him to take his time. It’s good tea, it should be really with how much he spent on it, but that’s never more apparent than when he’s taken the time to make it properly just the way he likes it. Now it’s a comforting sweetness that plays on the end of his tongue, spreading warmth throughout his body and blanketing him with the familiar taste. It’s perfect, exactly what he needed even if it won’t help him sleep, it makes him feel calmer. Safer, even. Like being right here isn’t such a bad place to be. It’s  _ almost _ as comforting as one of Todd’s hugs, but if he can’t have that he’ll happily take this alternative. 

 

Although, as chance would have it, he might not have to. 

 

He starts when the bedroom door opens, but it’s slow enough that he’s settled again by the time Todd emerges, blanket wrapped around his shoulders and rubbing at his eyes as he yawns. Dirk feels guilty for waking him, but Todd doesn’t say anything as he shuffles over to flop down onto the couch next to him, cuddling up and resting his head on his shoulder, closing his eyes like he’s going to go back to sleep right there. Dirk’s heart flutters in his chest. 

 

“Should’ve said,” Todd whispers, voice heavy with sleep that he’s barely fighting off, and despite the incomplete sentence he understands what he means.

 

“You looked too peaceful. You need the sleep,” he offers back, just as quiet. Todd grunts, shaking his head ever so slightly, hair brushing Dirk’s cheek with the movement.

 

“Tea?” he asks, and Dirk smiles. Even in this state Todd knows him so well. He wonders if that means he’s becoming predictable, or if that’s just what happens when you spend so much time with another person. He hopes it’s more the latter. 

 

“English Breakfast,” he informs him. “A little milk, a lot of sugar,” he sighs contentedly. “It’s perfect.” 

 

“Dork,” but it’s soft, fond, more than enough to have Dirk hiding his smile in his cup. “S’wrong?”

 

Dirk just drinks in silence for a moment, letting himself be soothed by the slow steady sound of Todd’s breathing, giving away how close he still is to sleep, pressed warm against his side.

 

“I can’t sleep,” he admits eventually. Todd hums, acknowledgement more than agreement. 

 

“Nightmares?” they both have their fair share, over various things, for various reasons. Dirk has had them for as long as he can remember. He hasn’t yet worked up the courage to ask Todd if his are a new thing.

 

“I haven’t slept yet,” he points out, deflecting. Todd isn’t afraid to call him on his bullshit though.

 

“Putting it off. Same thing.” 

 

It’s difficult to argue with Todd when he’s right, not that he’s sure he even wants to. His silence is telling in itself though, and eventually Todd sighs. 

 

“You staying here then?” he mumbles it into his shoulder, and Dirk feels a strange mix of warmth and guilt for waking him when he does. 

 

“I didn’t want to wake you. But I suppose it’s too late for that now,” he doesn’t apologise because Todd wouldn’t let him and they’re both too tired for that, it’s hidden in the words anyway. 

 

“I know,” he replies, barely audible but for the silence of the room. “Can’t sleep without you.”

 

Dirk’s heart goes from fluttering to tripping without any warning whatsoever. While he knows the reason for that is far from pleasant, it’s the kind of thing Todd would never admit to if he wasn’t halfway to unconsciousness already, and it has him moving to run gentle fingers through his hair. It’s warm to the touch, comforting, something he can’t often get away with. 

 

Todd sighs contentedly, and that’s enough to make the decision for him. 

 

“Just a little longer,” he promises, eyeing up what’s left of his tea. It seems even better now, with Todd cuddling in a little closer, seemingly settling in to wait with him. 

 

“If you make me sleep here I’m gonna complain.” Dirk’s mouth twitches into a smile that he hides behind his cup, knowing he’ll find  _ something _ to complain about either way. 

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it," he promises, unsure if the warmth flooding through him is from Todd or the tea. He supposes it doesn't matter though, it's more than welcome all the same.

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably going to end up as a series. I love tea and I have plans. 
> 
> So! Let me know what you think! I like getting words in return for these words. I hope you like it, I'd ask you to be nice but I already know you're a lovely lot.
> 
> You can catch me at kieren-fucking-walker on tumblr if you want to yell at me/talk to me about Dirk Gently/generally freak out over these two idiots.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
